


Operation Save Jake and Rosa's Ass

by GracefulPanda12



Category: Brooklyn Nine-Nine (TV), Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies)
Genre: :(, Angst, Attempt at Humor, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Gen, Genderbending, Genderswap, Humor, Hurt/Comfort, Peter is Penny because Penny is a girl, based off the last episode of season 4
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-05
Updated: 2020-05-05
Packaged: 2021-03-03 05:07:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,869
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24019492
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GracefulPanda12/pseuds/GracefulPanda12
Summary: “...we have...‘the meat fork’.” Cue fistbump between Rosa and Jake.Everyone stared at him curiously, trying to keep up with his head. Penny decided to help him out.“He means we have a two-part defence. Like a meat fork. Only difference is, with a meat fork it's two-pronged. Hence, it is a two-pronged defence. Like a meat fork.”Jake snapped his fingers at me excitedly “Yes! Exactly! Sam, explain further.”“Again, ‘meat fork’ is fun, but please don’t use that in court.”***Or, the last episode of season 4 if Jake had an enhanced vigilante niece.
Relationships: Charles Boyle & Jake Peralta, Gina Linetti & Jake Peralta, Gina Linetti & Peter Parker, Jake Peralta/Amy Santiago, Peter Parker & Amy Santiago, Peter Parker & Jake Peralta, Peter Parker & Tony Stark (mentioned), Ray Holt & Jake Peralta, Rosa Diaz & Jake Peralta, Rosa Diaz (Brooklyn Nine-Nine) & Peter Parker, Terry Jeffords & Jake Peralta
Comments: 8
Kudos: 74





	Operation Save Jake and Rosa's Ass

They were in Shaw’s Bar for the meeting of  _ ‘Operation Save Jake and Rosa’s ass’.  _ Penny sat beside Amy and Holt, looking up at Jake and Rosa. They had tried keeping her out of the meetings, but she wouldn’t stand for it.

“Okay, update on our trial prep.” Jake said, “This is our lawyer, Samuel Miller, who is in many ways, in charge of our defence”

“In every way” Miller interjected.

“Well, ‘many’ is a part of ‘every’. I’m facing fifteen years in prison, just let me have this.” He replied, with a smile that was obviously forced.

Miller started talking about the plans for the case, and Penny felt her mind lose focus. She was worried to say the least. Jake  _ couldn’t  _ go to prison. She’d already lost so many people, first with her parents, and then May and Ben. ‘ _ Focus’,  _ she told herself sternly, ‘ _ This isn’t about you, It’s about Jake.’  _

She tuned back in, just as Jake mentioned ‘the meat fork’. He’d been talking about it non-stop, saying how it was a ‘foolproof plan’ and ‘there is no way we’ll lose with it’. Penny knew it was only to make her feel better, but she appreciated it all the same. 

“...we have...‘ _ the meat fork’.”  _ Cue fistbump between Rosa and Jake.

Everyone stared at him curiously, trying to keep up with his head. Penny decided to help him out.

“He means we have a two-part defence. Like a meat fork. Only difference is, with a meat fork it's two-pronged. Hence, it is a two-pronged defence. Like a meat fork.” 

Jake snapped his fingers at me excitedly “ _ Yes _ ! Exactly! Sam, explain further.”

“Again, ‘meat fork’ is fun, but  _ please  _ don’t use that in court.”

“We have it if we need it, tell ‘em about the first prong.”

Miller carried on speaking about said prongs, explaining how the first one was about their air-tight alibis-with Jake even managing to convince Rosa to tell them where she was on March twelfth-and how the second was about how there was no  _ way  _ the money could be traced back to them. Everyone grasped the concept by the end of it. 

“Okay” He started to finish up with, “so that’s where we stand, are there any questions or comments?”

Captain Holt stood up, “Yes, there is something I’d like to say.” Everyone readied themselves for a speech. He let out a sigh before simply saying:

“Don’t lose.”

He sat down again with another sigh. 

“‘Thought that was going to be a bit longer.” Penny said with a shrug. Almost everyone nodded their heads in agreement with her.

Simultaneously, Rosa and Jake began voicing their disagreements. 

“It was perfect”

“I loved it.”

***

The courthouse was  _ huge _ . It took her awhile to find the toilet, and even longer for Penny to find her way back to Jake.

“Should we talk about what happens if they somehow find you guilty.” That was Amy speaking to Jake.

‘ _Nope,_ ’ Penny thought to herself, ‘ _do_ not _want to be here for_ that _particular conversation_ ’ _._ Luckily, that’s when she saw Gina beside the vending machine.

Penny darted over to her. “Hey. Help.”

“What’s up, kiddo?” she asked, holding a bottle of soda in her hand. 

“Jake and Amy are having the  _ ‘What-do-we-do-about-out-relationship-if-Jake-gets-sent-to-prison-for-something-he-didn't-do’  _ talk, and I don’t know where to go,  _ so-o? _ ”

“ _ So, _ you came to the smartest person in here for help, gotcha kid.”

“A-ah, sure. Let’s go with that. You definitely weren’t the first person I saw that I actually knew. No siree.”

Gina looked at her with scrutiny, before shrugging her shoulders and turning down the hall. “Come, young grasshopper, the court awaits.”

***

“Um, why is Charles in a wheelchair.”

They were in the courtroom now. Holt, Terry and Charles were in a row, all facing the aisle. It didn’t take an ‘ _ amazing detective slash genius’  _ to figure out they were here for Jake. 

“Long story.” Terry said, “Now, stand beside Charles.” Penny did, smiling slightly at the display of support for the man-child who had basically become her father. 

“Whatever,” Gina said, moving to sit up at the front of the court, “I’ll save you a seat Pen.”

She muttered her thanks before turning towards Jake, who had just arrived with Amy. They all muttered words of encouragement, given with a shake to the hand, or a peck on the lips in Amy’s case. He stopped when he got to Charles and looked down inquisitively.

“Charles, you’re…” Jake trailed off

“In a wheelchair, yep. My back gave out when I was dyeing my pubes.” Penny made a small choking sound from beside him, which was poorly disguised laughter.

Jake looked up towards Terry and her in mild alarm as Charles continued. “I was only half way done as well. I’m like ‘ _ Cruella de Vil’ _ down there.” he finished with a small wink.

“O-okay, well. I need to go be on trial for bank robbery now, so we’ll talk about you not needing to tell me every detail of everything, later.”

“Oh, right. Good luck.”

“And uh, same to you, I guess.” He turned to Penny before Charles had a chance to respond. She offered a small smile.

“Everything will go fine. Remember, ‘meat fork’.” His voice was reassuring, but the bags under his eyes told her that he was just as worried.

“Aren’t I supposed to be telling  _ you  _ that?” She questioned him.

“Eh” he shrugged his shoulders with a grin, “I’m that adult.”

Penny scoffed. “Barely. You don’t even know how to do groceries.” She said it with a sly grin so he knew she was joking.

“It’s _difficult_ , okay?” He smiled softly at her, “C’mere kid.” He pulled her into a tight hug which she returned just as feverently. 

“Don’t lose,” she murmured into the crook of his neck.

“Wouldn’t dream of it.”

***

Penny leaned into Gina. 

“Is Rosa wearing  _ pink _ ?”

“I think so. The world is doomed.”

They both leaned in to Jake and Rosa to catch the tail end of their conversation.

“You know, if you’d asked me back at the academy where I wanted to be in twelve years, definitely would’ve said right here.” Jake nodded his head along with his words.

“Same” Rosa responded, staring straight ahead.

“Great. So it all worked out. End of story.” There was a small crack at the end of his sentence, and his eyes had a glassy sheen to them.

“All rise for the honorable Judge Marinovich.”

_ ‘Let the case begin’  _ Penny thought. Her fingers were crossed, and she prayed to whatever deity was out there, that everything went according to plan. However, the small tingle at the back of her neck told her otherwise.

***

It turns out the  _ Penny-tingle  _ was right. Everything did  _ not  _ go according to plan. Prong One was shot down immediately, and Prong Two didn’t fare much better. Hawkins had managed to forge documents, stating that they were ‘the original applications for the accounts signed by Diaz and Peralta.’ She also had an affidavit from the supposed ‘bank manager’ and deposit slips for the entire twenty-six million dollars.

***

As it turns out, Jake and Gina were  _ not  _ very good at giving pep-talks. But then Miller came, with some good news.

“Some good news, I spoke to the judge, He’s giving us an extra day to review the new evidence.”

“Oh thank God,” Penny muttered under her breath.

“What are they gonna find in one day?” Rosa asked angrily, not really expecting an answer. “Face it, man, we are  _ going  _ to jail.We might as well start hiding razor blades under our tongues.” She turned to Jake, “Here. You can have one of mine.” Rosa held it in her hand. 

“How long has that been in there?”

“Since grade school”

“It’s scary that that  _ doesn’t  _ surprise me anymore.” Penny said. Rosa grinned at her.

“No one is going to jail.” Holt started, “We are going to work this case, and we’re going to find something. You are not going to sit back and resign yourselves to your fates. You are going to take action. Now, Hawkins can destroy your alibis and put money in your accounts-”

“That’s it!” Penny exclaimed, jumping up. Everyone turned to look at her questioningly, except for Jake, who seemed to have caught her train of thought, “That’s Hawkins first mistake. The money she put in you accounts. It had to come from  _ somewhere,  _ right? Money doesn’t just  _ appear  _ out of thin air.”

Holt caught on. “Right. It was transferred from  _ somewhere _ .”

“Exactly” Penny pointed towards him. “All we have to do is trace it back to its source, which will lead us right to Hawkins”

“But those are offshore accounts” Terry remarked, “We can’t subpoena them”

“So we need to break into the bank’s computers.” Everyone turned to Amy, surprised to hear this come from  _ her  _ of all people. “We need a hacker.”

One-by-one their gazes moved to Penny, until they were all staring at her. She put her hands up, in a surrendering motion. “I mean, I could  _ try _ . But if Hawkins is running this, the bank's  _ firewalls _ will have firewalls. It’ll be near impossible to break into. I’m good, sure. But I’m not  _ that  _ good.”

“Alright then, does anyone know any hackers?”

Terry turned to Boyle. “Boyle does”

He jumped, and sat up straight with a renewed energy. “I’m Boyle! I get to  _ help _ !” Everyone turned to him with mild exasperation. “Oh my God.” He muttered to himself. “I can feel my legs again.” He stood up, slowly, but surely. “I can  _ walk _ !”

“ _ Yes _ !” Jake said “It’s a miracle, kinda. See? When the Nine-Nine puts our brains together, we can achieve  _ anything _ ! Hey, we should team up and rob banks for real!”

“You should stop talking in the hallway.”

Penny let out a snort.

“Yep. Copy that. Nice to see you again.” He waved at Judge Marinovich’s retreating form.

“Again? What did you say last time?” Penny asked with a small tilt to her head.

“Nothing. Doesn’t matter. Shush. Boyle, tell us about your hacker”

And Boyle proceeded to do  _ just that.  _

_ *** _

They were at Shaw’s Bar... _ again _ . Terry and Boyle had left to go talk to Boyle’s hacker friend, and everyone else was looking through files, trying to find  _ something _ of use.

“Guys” Jake waltzed in, “I think I found something”

“Is it my heart medicine?” Scully piped up from where him and Hitchcock were sitting on their asses. “The doctors say that if I even miss  _ one _ -”

“No, Scully” Penny interrupted, “Get your priorities straight, this is probably important” She turned to look at Jake expectantly as Scully turned back to whatever food he was eating with a small nod of agreement.

“Right. So. I was going through the arrest reports filed by everyone in Hawkins’ squad.” He handed Holt a file.

“We already went over these.”

“Right,” Jake agrees readily, as if he expected this argument, “but there was one guy we  _ didn’t  _ flag, because he was never the arresting officer: Detective Matthew Langdon. I think something went down between him and Hawkins”

“Well, he had a stellar fourteen-year career, before joining Hawkins’s squad. Then, three months later, he quit the force entirely.”

“But, he didn’t  _ just  _ quit _ ,  _ did he?” Penny asked, already knowing the answer.

Jake gave her a small, proud smile, “No, he did not. He disappeared.” He turned back to Penny, “You know, if the whole  _ being-a-super-awesome-genius-scientist  _ thing with Tony Stark doesn’t work out, you should  _ really  _ consider being a detective.”

“Eh” She shrugged her shoulders, “I think I prefer the vigilante life”

“Which, need I remind you, is  _ illegal _ .”

Penny gave him a wicked grin, “Only if you get caught”

Amy rolled her eyes at them, but otherwise didn’t comment on the exchange. 

“Peralta. Parker. You are getting off topic.” Holt interrupted.

  
“Right. Sorry. My bad.” Jake continued, not looking the _least_ bit sorry, “There are no tax records, no known address, his wife filed a _missing persons_ report.” He smiled mischievously and reached behind him to pull something out of his pocket, “ _But_ , after doing some incredible sleuthing, I think I figured out where he is.” He turned to Penny and Amy with a small smirk, “Ames. Pen. How would you two like to take a family-fun-road-trip to the town of...drumroll please” Penny banged her hands against the table, “Thank you Penny, Horseditch, Pennsylvania?”

Amy tried to act enthusiastic but Penny just snorted, “Sure, I’ve got no plans.”

And off they went.

***

“This looks like the place where they shot ‘ _ The Village’.” _

“Amy,” Jake reprimands, “Don’t say things like that, you’ll scare Penny”

“ _ Right _ ” Penny drawls from the back, “ _ I’m  _ the one who’ll be scared.”

“Quiet from the Peanut Gallery” Penny  _ oh-so-maturely _ stuck out her tongue in retaliation. She opened her phone, and scrolled through tumblr before getting a scarf thrown at her face.

“ _ Dude _ ? What the  _ hell _ ?”

“We’re here,” Jake said with a forced smile, and sure enough, they were. Penny felt a small tingle at the back of her neck, but figured it was just her senses going nuts after the past few days. She got out of the car and looked. There was a small green mailbox with the words ‘Flaxton Hill Farms’ on it in white. The house looked nice and well-kept. If the car in the front driveway wasn’t enough to prove it was inhabited, the freshly painted walls could. They all proceeded to walk to the front door, where Jake reached up a hand to knock against the wooden door in three short taps.

“Matthew Langdon?” He called out, “Are you there? We’d like to talk to you about Melanie Hawkins?”

The door opened quickly and Langdon stepped out, with a shotgun in hand. ‘ _ Maybe my senses weren’t just haywire, after all _ ’, Penny thought as Jake grabbed her from beside him, and pushed her behind him. Even though, between the three of them, Penny was,  _ most definitely,  _ the most likely to survive a bullet wound.

“Woah! Don’t shoot. Seriously, don’t. Don’t shoot.” He had one hand up, the other clasping Pennys arm to keep her behind him.

“If I were you,” He drawled out, “ I’d turn around and start walking. ‘Cause in about three seconds, I’m gonna start shooting.” He cocked the gun, as if to prove his point.

“Oh, God. He did the gun cock. This is escalating very quickly and three seconds is not enough time--”

“ _ Jake _ ,” Amy and Penny both cut off his ramblings  simultaneously,

“ _ Right _ . Focus. Sorry. Sir, we know you worked for Hawkins”

“Did she send you here!?”

“No, no no no” The three of them immediately shouted. Jake continued, “We’re not with her.”

“In fact,” Penny piped in from behind, “we’re like, completely against her. So we’re the opposite of that. So, um, please put down your gun, sir.”

“Uh-huh, and why should I believe you?”

“Look, sir,” Jake started reaching for his phone, “if you lemme slowly reach into my jacket pocket, there’s an article on my phone that will explain  _ everything _ .”

Langdon paused to look at the screen, eyes flitting between Jake and the phone, “That’s a video of a monkey humping a frog.”

Amy and Penny turned to Jake exasperatedly. Jake took his phone back and stared at the screen. He chuckled lightly before growing serious again.

“Oh.” He at least had the decency to look  _ a little  _ sheepish. “That’s my bad. It was a long ride up here and I got bored. Here” He started muttering to himself as he fiddled with his phone “Close that tab” He looked back up to Langdon. “That’s the article.”

Labgdon took the phone off of him and started skimming through the article as Amy started to speak up, “Hawkins ran you out of New York and took away your life. “If you help us, maybe we can help you get it back.”

He sighed slightly before nodding his head. “Fine. I’ll talk to ya, buy ya gotta follow me; I gotta go feed the hogs.”

Jake scrunched up his face as he started panicking. “Oh my God what’re you gonna feed them? Is it  _ us _ ?”

“Corn” Langdon deadpanned.

“Huh” Penny muttered, stepping out from him, now that he wasn’t grasping her arm. “Corn. That’s a bit of a letdown, if I’m being honest.”

“Or maize. As it was known as, at the first Thanksgiving.”

Amy turned to him, “Jake”

He nodded his head in agreement, as if she hadn’t _ just _ said his name. “Right. Yup. Let’s go talk.”

***

“I caught her takin’ payoffs from a gang leader. When I confronted her ‘bout it, she said I could disappear, or she’d kill me,”

“I, uh, see why you chose pig-farming in the middle of nowhere” Jake said, sympathetically. “It’s better than death.”

“Not during Spring thaw.”.

“Oh. Why’s that? Does it smell even worse somehow?”

“Sounds worse, actually. It’s pig-mating season” Penny and Langdon spoke at the same time.

“What does that soundlike, a bunch of wet bagpipes?”

Langdon pointed at him, “That’s exactly it!”

“Oh. Huh. Nailed it.” Amy and Jake turned to each other with a quick nod, before turning to Penny.

“How’s you know this stuff about pigs?”

Penny looked at him for a second before stating. “I’m a genius.” The ‘ _ duh’  _ was left unsaid.

Langdon carried on, as if he’d never been interrupted, “The worst part about it is, I had to leave my wife behind. If Hawkins knew we were still together, I’m afraid she’d kill ‘er.” 

The swift change in subject left Penny reeling for a moment as Amy rushed in, seeing an opportunity to convince him to testify. Penny tuned in again, as she heard Langdon say “I can’t help. That’s final.” 

Penny heard Jake say something, but it all went in one ear, and out the other. She felt something in herself snap as she realised that their final chance, their miraculous  _ third-prong  _ that had seemed too good to be true, had just turned it’s back to them. 

“ _ Can’t _ ?” Penny said coldly, “Or  _ won’t _ .”

She stepped forward, closing the two-feet of difference between her and the fence holding in the hogs, and watched as he turned to look at her with a blank expression on his face. Jake grabbed her arm, muttering a small “Don’t”

“ _ No _ !” Penny said, wrenching her grip from Jake, feeling her eyes well-up with tears, but refusing to let them fall. She turned back to Langdon, voice going from ice-cold to childlike and pleading, “Can’t you see? This is a chance to make sure that what Hawkins did to you, she won’t be able to do again.” She felt a tear slip out, and more quickly follow. “Not just to us, but to make sure she never does it to  _ anybody  _ again. You have a chance to make  _ everything right _ , a chance to see your wife without having to worry about whether Hawkins knows you guys are still in contact, and you’re just saying that you won’t even  _ try _ ? That’s  _ bullshit _ !” She was full-on sobbing now, feeling the hope drain out of her, leaving her feeling boneless and exhausted. Jake gently clasped her upper arm, and pulled her in close. She allowed herself to sink into his embrace for a moment, before pulling away, in the direction of the car, mumbling something about ‘needing some air’, not even caring that it was an obvious lie, made even more-so by the fact that they were  _ already  _ outside.

***

They gave her some time alone, sitting at the back of the car, curled up in a ball, and she was eternally grateful. She needed time alone, to think, and to process, and to just  _ breath _ . She heard Jake and Amy walk away from Langdon and his hogs, and have the

_ ‘What-do-we-do-about-out-relationship-if-Jake-gets-sent-to-prison-for-something-he-didn't-do’  _ talk. She tuned it out, not wanting to eavesdrop on a personal conversation.

It could’ve been seconds, minutes or hours for all Penny knew, before she heard the tell-tale scuffle of rubber sole against dirt and gravel as Jake made his way over to her. He sat down next to her with a small groan and a muttered complaint about ‘back problems’ and ‘getting old’. She turned her head so that her cheek was resting against her knees, as she looked up at Jake.

Her eyes were red-rimmed and puffy and her face was blotchy. Jake’s heart broke a little at the sight as he smiled softly down at her. He placed a hand on her back and started rubbing soothing circles into it. “Hey Kiddo” he murmured, soft and quiet, like he always was when she was upset. And now he had to leave. Leave to prison for a crime he never committed. It just wasn’t  _ fair _ . None of it was.

“Hey Jake”, she mumbled back, equally as quiet. Suddenly it all came flooding out of her, as if a dam had been broken. “I’m sorry for yelling at Langdon. I shouldn’t have, I  _ know.  _ But-it’s just the-the thought that-that-'' she broke off with a choked sob, tears coming to her eyes once again. But he knew. Jake always knew when she was upset or hurting, when she couldn’t force the words out of her throat because she’d never been good with emotions and feelings. Jake always knew. ‘ _ It hurts. The thought of you having to go to prison for a crime you never commited  _ hurts,  _ because it’s not  _ fair _! I’m sorry. I’m sorry for yelling, but not for what I said. Because it’s true. I’m sorry I wasn’t able to convince him. I’m sorry.’ _

He nodded his head, hearing every word that went unsaid between them. He scooched over, so he was right beside her, back against the trunk of the car. He gently moved the hand that was resting on her back, up to her shoulders, and guided her shaking and sibbing form, so it was resting against his. He wrapped his arms around her securely, resting a cheek on her head, where it was resting on her collarbone. A single tear slipped out, and landed on her hair, and Penny simply grabbed a fistful of his t-shirt in response. They stayed like that for a while, both receiving comfort from the other. They stayed that way, until Penny’s sobs turned into whimpers, and her whimpers eventually turned into steady breathing. Throughout it all, Jake’s hand never once strayed from where it continued to move in slow, deliberate circles on her back. 

***

Penny rested her head against the back seat, eager for the nap she was planning on taking. She heard Jake and Amy mention something about music but mostly tuned it out. Then, she noticed a voice that was decidedly  _ not  _ Jake or Amy’s, She opened her eyes into slits and watched as Langdon poked his head in through the car window.

“I’m coming with you.”

Penny opened her eyes fully at that, sitting up straighter as Jake exclaimed excitedly, “You are? You’ll testify?”

“Hawkins has cost me and my wife too many years of happiness. I’m not gonna let her do the same to you. Plus, the waterworks display your daughter put on really broke my heart.” He turned to Penny at the last comment and Penny smiled slightly and shrugged.

“I’ve been told I look like a kicked puppy when I cry, which is sad enough to make even the strongest of men cry.”

“Huh. That’s actually pretty accurate.” Amy turned back to Langdon. “Thank you so much.

He nodded his head slightly before pointing to his house. “Well, I’m gonna grab my stuff, and I’ll get a few CDs.” He started to walk off before facing the car again. “I hope you like Enya”

Jake gasped in awe. “Matthew Langdon,you adnI are vibing  _ so hard _ !”

***

The four of them sprinted into the courtroom, with Jake in the lead, Amy and Penny flanking one side and Langdon flanking his other. Jake grabbed the doors to the courtroom and yanked the doors open with a yelled “Objection!” The four of them sauntered in, looking for all the world like Regina George and her posse from Mean Girls. It was all  _ extremely  _ dramatic and  _ completely  _ unnecessary, Jake spread his arms, basking in the attention until-

_ “Mr Peralta, what is the meaning of this?” _

-Judge Marinovich interrupted him. Jake, not one-bit put off, stood tall, and moved to the side, so Marinovich had a clear view of Langdon. “Your Honor, I’d like to call a surprise witness.”

“You’re not an attorney.”

“Right,” Jake’s face dropped slightly, before brightening up again, “Sam, call a surprise witness.”

“ _ Oka-ay _ ” Sam turned to the front of the courtroom, away from Jake, and stood up. “Uh… We’d like to call a surprise witness”

Penny saw Gina lean into Holt and whisper:

“The jury’s like, “Oh snap, a twist,”. Like, they  _ love _ twists. Any great trial has a twist. Penny snorted quietly, amused. Before moving to sit down beside Amy and Gina, as Jake moved beside Rosa, and Langdon moved up to the witness stand.

Sam walked up to the front of the stand. And turned to Langdon. “Can you please state your name for the record?”

He nodded slightly. “My name is Matthew Langdon.”

“Mr. Langdon, do you know Melanie Hawkins?”

“Yes. I worked for her for three months in two-thousand-and-ten.” 

“And you are a retired NYPD detective, correct?”

“Yes, I served for fourteen years.”

“ _ Gotcha _ !” Penny’s eyes whipped from Langdon to Jake in a second. She released a breath, holding a hand to her chest, as if to steady her heartbeat. Jake smiled at her slightly before turning back to the front. “Sorry. Proceed.” He rolled the ‘r’ in proceed and Penny rolled her eyes in return, smile never dropping from her face”

From beside her, Penny saw Amy reach for her phone and open it. “Flaxton Hill?” she muttered quietly. And that’s when Penny felt it. Felt her senses go nuts. Amy gasped from beside her and turned to look at her. “Oh no.” they both quietly exclaimed simultaneously.

Amy and Penny reached over the half-wall separating them from Jake and Rosa. Penny started tapping Jake on the shoulder as Amy whisper-shouted “ _ Jake. Jake. _ ” Him and Rosa turned to look at them enquizatively. 

Just as Amy started explaining things to Jake, Sm asked the question that doomed them all.

“And how would you describe the Lieutenant?”

Just as Jake whispered “ _ Oh no _ ” Langdon put the final nail in the coffin.

“Melanie Hawkins was the most honorable cop I ever worked with.” Jake started waving his hands frantically at Sam, signaling to stop him, as Langdon continued. “And the only reason I’m here is because of  _ that man _ , Jake Peralta.” He pointed at Jake, who looked like a deer caught in headlights, “He offered to pay three-hundred-thousand dollars to lie and say that she set ‘em up.”

Jake dropped his head on the table with a groan as the Jury started whispering. He looked up and turned to Rosa, trying to reassure her. “Okay. Okay. This is bad. This is really bad. But just remember, we are  _ not  _ going to jail. We didn’t do it. We’re innocent.”

***

The jury had disappeared to ‘confer’ and decide whether they’re guilty or not. They had just reappeared moments ago and now, a small plump brunette stood up. Everyone waited with bated breaths, waiting to hear the results.

“Guilty. On all charges.”

Penny slumped down on her seat with a muttered, ‘ _ no _ ’. She could see everything that was happening, but like it was to another person, like she was just viewing it, not  _ living _ it. She saw Jake start panicking in front of her, muttering words to himself. She saw Amy stand up and slowly reach out a hand to him, turning him around to hug her. She saw everyone else do the same, felt herself stand up. She saw everyone hug him tightly, and quietly whisper words of reassurance. Finally it was her turn. He reached up a hand and wiped at the tears that were dripping down her face. Tears that she hadn’t even realised she’d been crying. And suddenly she was back, back into her own body and flinging herself at Jake, as if that could make him stay. His arms were just as tight around her face buried in her hair. He started muttering reassurances to her, telling her ‘ _ everything will be alright _ ’ and ‘ _ I’ll be out soon, don’t worry _ .’ ‘ _ No! _ ’ Penny thought to herself, ‘ _ I’m not going to cry like a baby. I’m not the one who’s going to prison _ ’. So she pulled back slightly, looked directly into his eyes, reached up a shaking hand,wiped away some of his tears with her thumb, and muttered a quiet “It’ll be okay Jakey”. The nickname slipped out, after not being used since she was  _ literally  _ a baby. But, seeing the small smile and chuckle it brought to his face, Penny knew it was worth the years of teasing she was going to recieve.

And it would be. It would be worth it. It would be okay. She kept repeating that to herself, over and over. As Jake pressed a small kiss to her forehead, as Rosa gave her a tight hug, as the police pulled Jake and Rosa away.

_ It would be okay. _

**Author's Note:**

> Kudos and comments make me happy :)
> 
> Also, please do not comment saying "it's the exact same as the episode bleh bleh bleh" 'cause   
> a) its based off it, so yes somethings and the plot are the same and  
> b) I don't wanna hear it :)
> 
> Also also, please don't leave any spoilers for season 6 and 7 'cause I haven't finished them yet ;)
> 
> [ Talk to me on tumblr! < /a >](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/gracefulpanda12)


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